Inside controlled vehicle searchlight



w T ,w un m C J R A. E. .s1 mmm sm www. RV sG w w .um ...nuv wwf c un .D I ,nbv N I I Patented Mar. 23, 1926.

vU N l T E D S BERTBAM J. GBIGSBY, F PARK RIDGE,

MENTS, TO APPLETON ELECTRIC C0., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- INSIDE CONTROLLED VEHICLE SEARCHLIGI-IT.

Application led May 17,

To all 107mm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Burman J. Grasser, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Park Ridge, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inside Controlled Vehicle Searchlights; and I do hercby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in yspot or signal lamp mountings adapted for use on vehicles, such las automobiles, and constructed with .mounting means whereby the lamp casing may be directed through wide ranges of horizontal and vertical movements to give a so-called universal movement to the lamp casing and the refiected rays of light projected from the lamp therein. y

The invention relates more particularly to a type of universally directed spot or signal lamp mounting which is designed to be operated from the interior of a carin such a way that the lamp may be adjusted in its various movements without exposing the hand of the driver outside the car. The construction embodying the present invention is adaptable for use in connection with closed body cars, and also with cars having foldable tops and side curtains, so that in the first installation the lamp can be directed from the interior of the car without opening the door of the closed body, yand in the other installation the lampk can be directed 'from the interior of theA car when the side curtains are in place.

The object of the invention is to provide a very simple, economical.- and efiicient .signal or spot lamp mounting for the purpose described and astructure which avoids the use of power transmittingfgears and multiple shafts to effect the required vertical and horizontal adjustmentsfof the lamp casinff.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide an improved universal signal or spot lamp mounting, the parts of which can be constructed of simple and readily made and c assembled elements, and to provide a mc'ninting in which` large freedom of movei met ef *11er-ets ...can te; attained t@ @Een 1921. Serial N0. 470,251.

desired adjustments of the lamp and also to hold the lamp in place when adjusted.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a spot or signal lamp and its mounting embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a rear view thereof.

a. Figure 3 1s an enlarged detail section on .the line 8-3 of Figure 2.

. Figure Ll is a detail of a modified mounting, designed more especially for a closed car.

Figure Figure el.

First, referring to the construction shown in Figures 1, 2, and 8, designed more especially for open cars having foldable tops and removable side curtains, 10 designates a lamp casing of usual construction, and 11 designates a fixed support on the vehicle, as one of the posts on the wind shield frame.

12 designates a tubular vrock shaft, to the outer end of which is connected in any suitable manner the lamp casing 10, the connection being herein shown as an elbow fitting 14. Said rook shaft is preferably tubular so that the lamp conductors may be carried therethrougn to the lamp and also, if desired, to a switch supported on or in the rock shaft.

A,Said rock shaft can be mounted on the post or other fixed support 11 by any suitable form of bracket, hereinafter to be more fully described. It may be stated at ythis point that the bracket structure for connecting the rock shaft to the fixed support embodies a suitable bearing in which the rock shaft is mounted to turn on its axis` herein shown as in a horizontal plane, and said bearing is mounted to rotateabout an axis disposed at a right angle thereto, or in a vertical plane. y

The rock shaft 12 extends v.inwardly beyond said bracket and rotative mounting to form an oblique crank portion. within .the car, usually between the position of the steering wheel and thewindy shield, and said crank .portion terminates in a straight portion 16, having "a hand piece 17. The said crank enables the rock shaftto be given 4both a rocking movement about the axis of the member 12 and a swinging movement about the aziis of the bearing in which said member 12 is-mounted to rock. 'V

is a section on the line 55 of ends with recesses i9 1) ada )ted to eii'as'e' the rear side oit said post or i'ified support ll. 20, Qt) designate the two members ol' a 'transversely divided bearing vhich enter at their upper and lower ends inwardly fue ing bearing' reces es 2l, 2lA torn'ied 'in said plates adjacent o the rear ends thereof. The said members 2O are divided or spaced in a plane at right angles to the airis otrotation thereof. Vifhey are toi-med at tl'i'eir proximate ends with part-cylindrical bearings 22, to receive and support the tubular roel; shaft l2. rEhe said plates lll :ie pressed upon the bearing members il() bj; two claii'iping screws Qi, 237 each of which extends loosely through an opening` iu onel plate and an aligned threaded soclret 2l iii the other plate. as most clciily shown in llio'uie the threaded ends of said screws n engaging` opposite plates.

ln order that the clamping or coiiliiiirig pressure of the plates against the bearing members mai1 be a yieldable or controllable pressure, springs 25, are interiviosed between the upper and lowei endsot saidlcearing members and the end walls the recesses 2l. lVith the construction shown, it will be observed that the clampingscrews 2i serve not only to yieldiiigly press the hearing' inciiiliers 2() on the rock sh to hold saiiil shalt 'from rocking' after has Abeen adjusted t-o swing the lan'ip in a vertical. plane, but also serve to'yieldingly permit the bearingmembers il() to be rocked on their axes and to beheld in adjusted iliositions.

'l`he iiieaiis for tiring the mounting. thus described to the post ll coii'iprises' a brachet structure which embraces lugs Q, E26, which are ii'iade integral with and `ed'eud laterally7 from the rear Aends of the. plates 18.

andA a hooi: member 27 which ciivaoe's over.

the side' er" the post 1l remote fromithe cngg'aejement' thereof with the recessed ends of the plates, said` hoolrv member being' pro vided its rear end with a. broad; .laterally extending `ner't'erated ear 28, through which andthe perforated lugs headed clamping bolts 29am adapted to pass7 tilieparts. beine' clamped. by nut-s 3G threaded to said bolts.

The construction 'described' allords means' for ii'xedly attach-ine" theA lain D mountine to .f Z' b the wind shield post or other fixed siulioi't" and toy holdl it against torsional or ti'vistine iiioveii'ient' thereon', in the rocking` and swinging movements 'ofthe universal' mounting 111 Operation', il willv beQbseiied that the lamp casing may be swung. vertically about the axis ot the rock shaft l2 by grasping -tlie hand piece 17 ot the operating crank and moving it upwardly and downwardly, the said roch shaft at the time rocking on its axis in the bearing recesses ofthebloclis or members 20. Said lamp casing may be swungiii a horizontalplane by merely pushing said hand piece 1T forwardly or pulling it rearwardly, and the mounting at this time will rotate about the axesof the bearing' members 20. rlhe springs' 9.5 between the ends et said bearing blocks or iiiei'ubers and the ends of their recesses serre to transmityielding clamping `pressure of said bearing members or blocks, and the tension thereot can be regulated by the screws 23 so as to permit the tubular shaft to be rocked iii bearing with moderate inanual power holding' the roel; shalt iii a desired postion ot adjustment. rillie saif springs also have the effect to impose a braking' action on the rotational' movement ot sai-:i bearingv members that allows ready adjustment o-'the lamp in a` horizontal plane, while locking` thel parts in a desired horizontal adjustment. lt is to be understood that the particular spring' detail .may lie varied to adapt itsel't to variations in the bearing` blocks andl to the mounting` ter the bea-ring blocks'.

ln order to avoid'l axial displacement. ol the rock shaft l2; the'portion thereof which directly engages the bearing; formed'lbetfween the two members or' blocks 20 is slightly reduced te form on both sides of said bearing` bloc-hs liu'iitiiigi sliouldersg as indicated by the dotted lines iii Figure The detail of the construction shown iii Figures and is designed tov adapt the veisa'l mounting ot' the signal or spot lamp to a closed car. in said constiuctioi'i 3l (.lesigiiates a ii'iouiitiiig platew iich cau be fastened: to any suitable part of theclosed car trame, as in fronty ot the door' frame'. The particular configuration oit said plate, therefore, willv depend upon the to'rii'iati'oii ot'l the body part to which` the' plate is directly attached. Said. plateL is shown as adapted to be attached to' the outer side face of acar body just in` rear of the angle between' theside of the' body' and!l the front panel. itA provided with screw-holes A32 to receive attaching screws that are threaded into the" :ir body, or' said holes maybe adapted to receive fastening. bolts.. Tl e platelis centrally provided with' an' opening` 38' through 'which the" rock' shaft Bd extends. Axially inline with said opening, and. iii# teg'ial with said Pilate.. is an' inwait tf er@ tending. externally' threaded lug or flange Ill) zontal plane that cuts or bisects the axis of the ball. rEhe shaft Bil extends through said two part bearing ball and is reduced at 37 within the ball to provide atthe ends ofthe reduced portion lii'niting shoulders which avoid axial shift-ing of .said rock shaft. designates an internally threaded nut that engages over and is threaded to the lug 35. Said nut is also provided with a segmental cylineric recess 39 which opposes the like shaped recesses of the ball 36 and which is adapted to bear on thetwo part ball in a direction opposed to the bottoms of said recess of the lug and in a manner to force the members of the two part ball on the rock shaft with a clamping action and thereby exert frictional contact between the central bearing of said two part ball and the rock shaft 34..' The said nut also, in the same way, serves to clamp the two part ball between the segmental spherical surfaces of the parts 35 and 39 to exert friction between said surfaces and the periphery of the ball, and thus prevent the ball turning with respect to said bearing surfaces.

The opening 33 through which the rock shaft 3l extends is elongated in a horizontal direction so as to give ample range of movement for the rock shaft Se when it is swung in a horizontal plane to give horizontal sweep to the spot or signal lamp casing. YVertical sweep of the lamp vcasing `will be atforded by rocking the shaft 34 on its axis in the same way as in the construction described in connection with Figures l, 2, and 2l.

When the rock shaft is tubular to receive and support the lamp conductors', the said shaft may be provided just inside of its supporting and mounting bearing with anoutlet nipple 40, through which the conductors can be threaded into the tubular shaft. .Any suitable form of switch il may also be carried by the shaft, as the crank portion herein shown, to be connected with a loop of the conductor extending from the outlet 40.

l claim as my invention:

l. An inside control vehicle spot lamp mounting comprising a continuous, rigid member formed at one end to provide a rigid crank and at its other end to rigidly connect it to a lamp casing mount, and formed between its ends as a rock shaft, and a rocking bearing member to receive and rockably support said rock shaft, the rocking axes of said shaft and bearing member intersecting within the body of said member, and cooperating shoulders between the rock shaft and said bearing member to hold the rock shaft against endwise movement.

2. An inside control Vehicle spot lamp mounting, 4embracing a continuous rigid member formed at its inner end to provide a fixed crank and at its otherr end to provide a rock shaft adapted at its other end to fixedly support a lamp casing mount, and a bearing mounting for the rock shaft having means of support on a vehicle, and embracing a member rotative in said mounting in one plane andprovided with a bearing for the rock shaft inwnich said shaft rocks about an axis in another plane, with said axes intersecting within said bearing.

An inside control vehicle spot lamp. mounting comprising a bracket having means of support to a fixed part of a vehicle, a one piece member formed at one end to provide a rock shaft, with fixed means of attaching lamp casing thereto, and formed at its other end to provide a'fixed crank arm adapted to extend into the vehicle, and two-part mounting vbearing Supported `to turn in said bracket, in which said rock shaft is mounted to turn on its axis, the two parts of said bearing being parted in a plane in which the turning axis of the rockshaft lies.

el. A spot lamp control mounting comprising, in combination with a rockable shaft for supporting a lamp and a two-part bearing in which said shaft turns and divided in ya plane in which the turning .axis of said shaft lies, of supporting means to carry said bearing and in which it turns, and means operative yieldingly to hold in bearing relation to said sl'iaft both said bearings.

An inside controiyehicle spotlamp mounting comprising` a continuous rigid member formed at its inner end into a crank and at its other end to support a. lamp casingy mount, and a bearing mounting engaged with an intermediate portionv of said member having means'of support on a. vehicle, saidv bearing mounting embracing a member rotative in a single plane and provided with a bearing for said continuous member permitting the latter to rotate about anl axisin said plane, and there being interlocking shoulders between said members to hold said continuous member against lengthwise movement through said bearing mountin 6. An inside' control vehicle spot lamp mounting comprising a bracket having means of support to a fixed part of the vehicle, a one piece supporting and actuating member for a lamp and having a normally horizontal bearing portion, and provided at one end with means to attach a lamp casing thereto, and provided at its other end with a crank arm adapted to extend into a vehicle, and a mounting bearing supported by said bracket, including a two-part bearing member` through which said supporting and bearing member extends and in which it rocks on its axis, and including also means whereby said bearing member can rotate on an axis atan angle to `the axis of rotation of `he rock shaft, and adiustable tension means for presenting both the bearing surfaces of the mounting bearing towards each other Cil and on seid supporting and bearing member; 7. An inside control vehicle spot lamp mounting comprising abraeket having means et Support to a fixed part of a Vehicle,l e one pie'eefmember formed at one end to'provide a rook shaft, with means tor tixedly attaching u lmnp easing to` one end thereof and formed at its other end to provide a fixed crank arm adapted to extend into the -vel'iicle, :ind a mounting bearing eupported by seid bracket, einbrzicing,` a split member formedto'provide a l'rictionnl beeringr for the roch' ehnit, and the bracket embracing sente in which said mounting bearing rotetibly indf yieidebly mounted to turn on enA e ing'exis ot seid roel: shaft.

8. An inside control vehiele Spot lamp mountino' emprising a brochet having 'ineens or Support to a' iiired` part' of the ve-v4 hiele, e one piece member formed et'y one end to provide e, rock shaft, With means for zittnching a lomp casing thereto, end 'formed et its other end to provide :i crank erm ede-pb "ed to" extend into the Yehiele, zr mounting bearing supported by Seid bracket, embracing :i Split member formed teprovide e beziring; tor the rock Shaft?, und the bracket ein-- bracing' sente in which Said mounting,rv beuring' is rotatably mounted. end-ineens fer- Yerying the pressure ot thel bearing` members on euch other.

An inside conti-rol vehicle spot lump mountingi comprising; u continuons, noniiexible, unit-ary member termed' with e. cen-v tre-l bearing portion, :it oneend with u crank to extend? into-e,` cer body, and at its other end with means to carry a spot lamp, a supportingfand-bearing member formed with e bearingin which seid shaft rocls,end means adaptingsziid bearing to rook on an exis at e right angle to that of said ehet't, seid roeling axes intersectingy Within the body of said bearing. membeiz l0. iin ins-ide control vehicle spot lamp mounting comprising a continuous, non* flexible, unitary member formed with central bearing portion, et one end With e Crank to entendy into a cer body, and at its other end with means to eer-ry e spot lamp, e supporting and bearing member termed With e hearing in which said shaft rocks, means adapting seidfbeziring to rock on en axis zit a right angle to that of Seidl shaft, seid roel;- ingzj axes intersecting; WithinV the body of seid bearing member,und means common to both bearings for var-ying bearing engagement thereof;

11..;in inside control vehicle spot lamp mounting comprising e bracket having ineens ot Support toial iiXed part of a vehicle, n one niece member formed.- at one end to providee roel: shfitt with means for attaching zr lamp casing thereto, and termedy at its other end into ir-crankarm adapted to extend into the vehicle, a bearing member engaged withk seidv rock Shaft and permitting the letter toy rotate-about its long,l axis, and means-on seid bracket for Supporting said hearing member to permit it to swing only in' e plane containing Said axis.

In Wit-ness whereofv I claim the'toregoing :remy invention, hereunto append my signntnre this 14 dey ot Mey, 1921. 

